Cornell Study Reports Destination Spa Vacations Result in Increased Business Acumen and Energy

28 May 2004

A spa vacation will leave you relaxed and refreshed - everyone knows that. And, according to a new study by Cornell University, a visit to a destination spa; a place where mind, body and spirit can be renewed, enriched and enhanced - more than any other type of vacation, will also result in a feeling of increased energy, focus and creativity in the workplace.Conducted by Professor Mary H. Tabacchi, Ph.D., R.D., Cornell University
School of Hotel Administration, and the Survey Research Institute of
Cornell University, researchers polled 500 randomly selected destination
spagoers and compared their responses with a similar demographic of
non-destination spa vacationers following their vacation experiences.

Key among the many findings of this study was that destination spagoers
believed that after a destination spa vacation, they:

* led business affairs with more acumen, energy and creativity, as
compared to non-destination spagoers after their respective vacations.

* returned to work significantly more energetic, alert and “in the zone”
when it came to business matters compared to non-destination spagoers.

* found decision-making was enhanced and their ability to handle challenges
was markedly improved.

* felt significantly more focused and alert compared to the perceptions of non-destination spa vacationers.

“Nobody before has attempted to quantify the destination spa experience—
or to differentiate the merits of a destination spa vacation from other
vacation experiences,” says Professor Tabacchi. “Low variability in both
the destination spagoer populations and the vacation population indicates
that the differences between destination spagoers and non-spagoers are
very credible.”

A true destination spa is defined as an environment that is dedicated to
educating people about the benefits of physical activity, nutritious
meals, mind-body connection and harmony, and therapeutic advantages of
massage and body treatments.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The mission of a destination spa is to motivate and enlighten guests on
how to achieve healthier, more joyous living,” said Michelle Kleist,
Executive Director of Destination Spa Group (DSG), an organization of 25
destination spas that meet the criteria of providing such a
health-renewing experience. “Destination spas have become a viable
category of vacation experiences. This study (commissioned by DSG)
corroborates what we have heard for years about the lasting benefits of
this type of immersion spa vacation.”

Professor Tabacchi said that destination spagoers reported that they like
the opportunity to relax mentally, to have time to sort out the truly
essential aspects of life, to be physically active, to eat healthfully and
arrive home happier and more alert when dealing with business issues than
when they left home.

“In other words, these destination spagoers wish to put life’s issues into
perspective and to be able to function at an inspirational level in
business and in their relationships,” she concluded.

Respondents were randomly chosen from the guest lists of 25 destination
spas. Five hundred completed surveys were obtained from these guests.
Their responses were then compared to a list of randomly selected
individuals who had not attended a destination spa but who had taken at
least one vacation in the past 12 months. Five hundred completed surveys
from these non-destination spagoers were obtained and compared.——-